"We were dining out at our military dinner and we were all
goofing around," Albers said. "We saw a group of people taking a picture and decided
to photo bomb them. We were both in the back making a goofy face."

Doenitz saw the entire new freshman class, including
Brothers, arrive last fall when he was the cadet commander of Air Force ROTC
Detachment 380.

"I definitely think that he would've made an outstanding
officer for the military," Doenitz said. "He had the mentality and he really
picked up on it."

Brothers was recognized at the ROTC awards ceremony
this spring for his motivated personality. As a student at WMU, he was also
involved in the School of Aviation, Aviation Student Council and the Arnold Air
Society.

Troy Brothers, far left, with a group of cadets at an Air Force ROTC dinner in the fall. From left are Brothers, Kumar Orlewicz, Clark Albers, Drake Siwicki and Mitch Dellot.Courtesy photo

"To see all the potential that he had and all his excitement:
we saw ourselves in him," Doenitz said.

The accident was a complete shock, Albers said. The tragedy hit home for the cadets, both aspiring pilots. Albers said that while WMU's School of Aviation
trains its pilots in all the proper pre-flight checks of the aircraft, gauges
and counsels, there's always a risk in the air.

"It's a risk and we all know it," Albers said. "Anything can
happen at any point."

Albers said Brothers' goal in life was to be a pilot, that's
why he had enrolled in the U.S. Naval Academy. Albers wants to be a pilot in the Air Force.

"Once I do get up there and start flying around by myself,
I'll definitely think of him," Albers said.

Brothers is survived by his father Michael Brothers; grandparents
Marilyn and John Brothers and Carol A. Dumont; many aunts, uncles and cousins and
also his beloved dog, Armani, according to his obituary.